1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming system, an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and an image forming program. More particularly, the present invention relates to an image forming system, an image forming apparatus, an image forming method, and an image forming program recorded on a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium which enable management of the amount of resources consumed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, there is known a system which manages the number of sheets of paper consumed in an image forming apparatus, typified by a multi-function peripheral (MFP), for the purposes of saving resources. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-248576 discloses a peripheral device management system which is made up of a peripheral device and an information processor, such as a PC, connected to the peripheral device through a network. According to this system, history information including the ID of a user who has used the peripheral device, print setting information (both sides, one side), and discharging sheet count information is accumulated in a history information accumulating portion. The information processor collects and totalizes the history information accumulated in the peripheral device, and calculates, on the basis of the history information, the difference between the number of sheets of paper actually discharged and the number of sheets of paper that would have been spent if every sheet were printed on both sides, and also calculates a reduction rate from the difference, and displays the calculated difference and reduction rate.
The conventional peripheral device management system, however, can only totalize the results of printing to inform a user of the reduction rate. Whether printing is to be performed on both sides or one side is determined in a step in which a user sets a print condition. Therefore, it will be effective if the reduction rate can be notified to a user before formation of an image, which will be able to prompt the user to change the setting to a print condition in which a fewer number of sheets of paper will be consumed. The resources consumed by an MFP include toner and electric power as well as paper. It is thus desired to reduce the consumption of toner and power as well.
On the other hand, an MFP is able to receive print data from a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a “PC”) and the like to form an image. In this case, some print conditions are set by a driver which is included in the PC and controls the MFP. In this type of usage, there are some other print conditions that cannot be set on the PC side but can be set on the MFP side.